Last Term at Trebizon
by DaughterOfTheRains
Summary: This just imagines what might have happened.
1. On the Coach

The bedroom was dim as Rebecca woke up, wondering what her last term at Trebizon would be like and having a bath before some toast and black coffee. As she said good-bye to her gran and stepped into the green bus, she wondered what it would be like with some sadness, even though predominantly worried about her A-levels. Her relationship with Robbie had finally broken down the term before, he'd decided to go off with Claire Parry instead, a new red-haired Welsh girl into the 6th form who had come from Queensbury collegiate. At the beginning of the Upper 6th, Rebecca had also decided to quit county level tennis because all the effort interfered with trying to get into university. She had chosen to be a prefect instead, and was wearing her badge on her navy school jumper. They were now passing the Queensbury playing fields, she briefly wondered what life at such a co-ed boarding school would have been like. It was raining steadily outside.  
The rain continued to pour as the coach moved along the motorway, and Rebecca grew increasingly depressed, periodically looking out of the window while reading a Chalet School book set in the Austrian sun. She was pleased when the coach pulled off into Taunton, and Tish unexpectedly joined, she'd been staying with her parents at a cottage in the area. There were several free seats, she sat down beside Rebecca.

"How are you, good holidays?"

"Well yes, I've almost got bored of tennis now somehow. Did a lot of swimming, and revised latin especially"

"I had problems with maths and history, nearly crashed Helen's car while trying to practise driving at home, very embarassing"

"Oh dear, I hav'nt even really thought about that. Mara and Sally are lucky"

At that point, they recognised Sally's car as it sped past.

"Did you do any sport, Tish?"

"I had some visits to the local track for running, long jump and so on, and took part in a county athletics meet (she was games captain of the whole school). It was'nt bad when the sun came out. What swimming stroke do you like?"

"Mostly breast or backstroke, butterfly only for short lengths. I can't properly do crawl or dive well"

They were both trying to avoid talking about Robbie. Rebecca had finally got fed up with him for barely concealed two-timing. During the disco at the end of the previous term, he'd got drunk and even tried to come on to Tish. They'd jointly slapped him  
before he moved across the room with Claire. By now they were on the main dual-carriageway, past Exeter and Plymouth. Then they turned off towards Trebizon town.  
The streets were quite busy with people carrying umbrellas and shopping. Rebecca called a taxi from a phonebox, the sea was rough and grey along the coast road. They came to the school gates and pulled up outside Parkinson house.


	2. Arriving at School

Rebecca had always found the Trebizon house system slightly odd, having to move again after settling in to Willoughby in the lower 6th. Nonetheless it looked like an even nicer building than before. Sally rather embarassingly had a shabby Lada saloon car, it was parked outside. Once again, the house held about 25 pupils and she hoped to grab an attic room. The front door was unlocked, and as Rebecca opened it, she almost ran into Miss Bridle, the Parkinson housemistress and a chemistry teacher. She had never taken this subject, though had occasionally encountered the mistress on cross-country runs.

"How are you, not looking very happy?"

"Oh I'm ok thanks" she replied, attempting a smile.

"How are your A-Levels going?"

"Not too bad,but Latin is becoming a real pain, much harder than GCSE"

"Oh dear. Well I better let you unpack then"

Rebecca headed up to the top floor. There was music coming from another room. Unlike in Willoughby, it was the rooms at the front that faced the sea, and she got one next to the fire escape. The rain was somewhat less now, she opened the window for fresh air before putting on her blue cape and heading over to the school's trunk store with Tish to fetch their trunks which had been delivered in a lorry, and obviously required two people to carry them. Unfortunately Claire was there, and scowled at them. Though her friend Roberta who had been very attractive since her hair was let down many years before, smiled warmly but saying nothing.  
When they got back, Becca began unpacking. After putting her two formal dresses in the wardrobe, she plugged in and turned on her small stereo, fixing the radio aerial to the wall with blu-tack.  
Initially it was playing classical music, but then the news said that there had been a pile-up on the motorway in the wet conditions, and two people had been killed. She prayed that Mara was OK despite being one of the few to have a modern vehicle thanks to her shipowner father. Sue's father had recovered his business somewhat, but like Margot she only had a dodgy old car. At that moment Sally and Tish burst in, looking fairly cheerful. Rebecca decided not to mention the news for the moment. Instead, she addressed Sally.

"How are you doing, then?"

"Not too bad, I've been doing a lot of ice skating inbetween revising, or just roller skating on the street" She did look noticeably thinner.

"Is'nt the weather dismal?"

"Indeed, hope it gets better"

Tish noticed something in Rebecca's expression, but just asked to borrow a book of notes on a French set text before they went into the downstairs kitchen and shared cocoa and a chocolate cake. Sally was the deputy head girl, Mara and Margot prefects. Sue was on the magazine committee, but had chosen not to be any kind of prefect, partly because she'd developed a strongish interest in gymnastics. Even though another gymnast, Lucy Hubbard, was surprisingly head girl.

"Another slice, Becca?" said Tish.

"No, I'm fine thanks"

"What shall we do now?" said Sally. It being the first day of term, they could unpack later.

"Go down to the beach?" said Rebecca, it had finally stopped raining. Lucy also entered and decided to join them. They passed through the gate at the back of Juniper House, and all had a paddle in the sea.  
It was quite cold but they all decided to have a bracing swim before drying themselves on the sand.


End file.
